1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information providing system, an information providing method and a computer program for providing information to a driver of an automobile and so forth. Specifically, the present invention relates to an information providing system, an information providing method and a computer program that enables an automobile to provide information to its driver, its passenger, or another user (in the following description, they may be referred to as simply the user).
2. Description of the Related Art
The motorization began long time ago in various countries of the world. As of the end of year 2000, the number of four-wheel motor automobiles in the world is about 748,710,000 units. It means that 124 automobiles per thousand persons, or, one automobile for every 8 persons. Of major countries having the largest number of four wheel automobiles, the United States, with 221,470,000 automobiles, accounts for about 30% of the total number of automobiles worldwide. Japan stands in the second place, with 72,650,000 automobiles, accounts for about 10% in use worldwide. Next, in European countries, German, Italy, France, and Britain follow. In Asian countries, China, Korea, India, etc have the increasing number of automobiles.
The motor automobile industry in Japan could be said one of the most comprehensive industries that have extensive related industries in various fields such as manufacturing, sales, resources, utilizations and the like. Population of the workers who are directly and indirectly engaged in these industries relating to the automobiles reaches to about 15 5,370,000 persons according to the estimation of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. This amounts to about 8.4% of all the employment population in Japan (for example, “Automobiles and world: world car production, sales, and possession”, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.,).
Quality of automobiles have been promoted as a penetration rate of automobiles has been increased and technologies thereof have been improved. Accordingly, more effective production techniques and measures for resolving issues such as pollution, safety, energy saving and the like have been actively researched. In addition, recently, higher added value has been demanded for automobile-related products. In addition to the main body of automobile, various driving assisting technologies supporting drivers have been widely researched and developed.
Further, recently, as information devices such as personal computers have become common and network technologies such as LAN and Internet have advanced, the users can receive benefits from information exchange such as electronic mail, information retrieval, information sharing and so forth. In addition, as entering a broadband era, more and more users have full-time access to the internet and various types of content services are introduced.
Furthermore, with introduction of mobilized information devices (mobile communication technologies), it becomes possible to perform a voice communication using an automobile telephone and access the Internet from the automobile.
In the field of automobiles, information technologies (IT) and intelligent systems have been applied for automobiles. For example, an onboard information terminal such as a car navigation system is capable of assisting a driver by providing information such as a route guidance.
In addition, recently, in order to improve an interior environment in the automobiles, information technology have been utilized. For example, there is a technology for generating an anthropomorphized agent and using it to convey various information to the driver. The agent is capable of learning responses or reactions of the driver to adjust its style and clothing so as to become a unique agent of the driver, whereby making the driving condition to be more comfortable (For example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication JP H11-272640).
The agent device installed in an automobile is capable of displaying human's face expressions and movements on a display monitor so as to provide information for the driver in a manner that he or she can easily understand information. Although this type of agent device is capable of communicating with the driver and other passengers within the automobile, the device is not capable of providing services to them after they get off the automobile.